Flycatcher



July B7, 11923.

1.. c. MCDERMOTT FLYCATCHER Filed sept. s. 1921 2 sheets-'sheet 1 llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll 'l mvewron ATTO RN EY wjNEsses July E923. 2,462,416'

l.. c. MCDERMOTT FLYGATCHER Filed sept. 1921 sheets-sheet 2 INVEN-ron L. a M617@ ATTQRNEY WITNESSES Patented duly l?, i923.

lldlt lil o LYLE CEAS. MCDERIVIOTT, 0F POCATELLO, IDAHO.

FLYCATCHER. i

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LYLn C. MODEM/rom", a citizen of the United States, residing at Pocatello, in the county of Bannoclr and State of Idaho, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flycatchers, of which the following is a. specification.

My present invention has reference to a means for trapping and exterminating flies in a sanitary manner.

My object is to produce a fly catcher which has the appearance of an ordinary iiy swatter, but which is in the nature vof an open frame having onits sides closelyl spaced elastic strips and its edges provided with a facing of compressible material whereby, when the device is forced against an article on which a fly to be trapped rests, it will not inflict injury to said article, and also whereby the fly over which the'device is arranged will by his struggle to escape cause a yielding of the elastic strips which enter the trap provided by the frame and as a matter of fact because of the pressure eXerted against the fly by the elastic strips the fly will be forced into the trap. After a number of flies have been Vthusl entrapped, the same are moved-bodily toward a drawer or receptacle in the frame by a slide provided for this purpose, the said slide acting on the flies in a, manner to kill but not mash the same, and the receptacle being provided with a door whereby the exterminated flies may be removed from the receptacle.

lt is a still further object to produce a sanitary fly eXterminator that shall be of a comparatively simple construction, cheaply manufactured and marketed, and thoroughly efficient for the purpose for which it is devised. f

The foregoing, and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and operativeassociation of parts, such -as is disclosed vby the drawings which accompany and which form part of this specification. l

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fly catcher made in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an approximately central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same and showing the slide moved to force the trapped flies into the compartment where they are enterminated.

Figure 3 isa fragmentary sectional view approximately on the line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a side elevation of a slight modification.

Figure 6 is a sectional view o-n the line GMG of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7--7 of Figure 6. f

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through'a still further modification.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken transversely through the construction illustrated in Figure 8. i

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the auxiliary frame employed in Figures 8 and 9. v. p

In the illustrative embodiment of the improvement disclosed in Figures l to 4 inelusive, it will be seen that I make use of a body member which is in the nature of a substantially rectangular frame l. The frame, vwhile susceptible to construction from any desired material is preferably formed of metal and has all of its edges`inturned to provideflanges 2. The frame, adjacent to they bottom thereof is provided with a transversely arranged compartment 3, the same being in the nature of a member which is substantially U-shaped in cross section and which is open toward the top of the frame 1. For distinction, the top of the frame 1 is indicated by the numeral 4 and the bottom by the numeral` 5.

Arranged transversely in parallel and in close relation to each other over the faces of the frame 1 are yieldable strips 6 which are preferably in the nature of elastic members. These strips form bars forthe cage which is provided by the frame 1, and the distance betweenthe elastic bars is such as to permit of the entrance of a fly therebetween when either of the faces of the frame have been brought against the insect, and the said bars are caused to yield by such contact kso that the fly will enter the cage or trap without inicting injury tothe insect. Also, it is to be understood, the bars are so spaced, that the insect cannot find egress from the trap therebetween. The edges of the frame which provides the cage or trap have a compressible facing 7 thereon, and if desired, the sides or ends of the cage or trap may be provided with a similar facing.

,fn the cage er trap, between 'the anges Q `tothe cage' or trap there is a projecting spring 12-l` that has its outer end bent upon "itself to yprovide a vhook 13. TheVhook is designed to be received through the opening 11`in 4the bottom 5 of the'cage or trap, and by virtue of the resiliency of the spring to spring againstthe inner face of the said wall 5, and thus hold the slide'8 between the flanges vof the Vupper or outer member 4 of the cage or trap. 'The'spring portions 10 of the rods 9 are'disp'osed a slight but suitable distance away from, the bottom 5 of the cage or trap so that the finger of the operator 'mayF 'pass therebetween' to contact with the spring" 12 to bring the hook 13 thereof in a line with the opening 14 topermit of the pfassageof the catch' provided by the said hook "therethrough, and the handle 11 may bedrawn'away from the frame, causing the slide 8 "to be Vmoved downwardly into the trough or receptacle '3 for exterminating the trapped nies; "The numeral 15 designates a normally closeddoor whicht communicates with'the trough-like receptacle 3, and whereby theiexterminated insects may find an outva plate which is pivoted to the pointed end ofi'thetraporcag'e 16 and which is in- Huencedby a" spring 20 against the side thereof opposite that provided `with the receptacle 18. The slide 19 is in the nature of1"'a"plate and the"archshapcd top 21 f 'the'ftrap or "cage has a reduced' slot therethrough'througli whichv passes'the shank 22 ofa'headed 'elem'ent 23 that is secured tothe outeredgeof'thefslide 19. The Ireceptacle is "provided 'withy a normally' closed Outlet d oor' fand has' itsedges,Y and 'if desired, its srdesprovided witha' compres'sible facing 251" Arranged'transverselyi over lthe opposed faces" ofith'e 'cagel or 'trap are elastic bars `.6,'si1nilar'in construction and arrangement to'-fthe` bars 7. The spring' influenced slide 19, as stated',"1s normallyagainst the side ofthe cage orftrap opposite that provided with the receptacle 18, and the insects are trapped in a manner as previously described. In neither instance is it necessary to move the slide until a comparatively large number of insectshavc been trapped, almost suflicient to fill the cage or trap, and it will be apparent that the trapped insects being deprived of food and water andl perhaps a necessary amount of air will soon die yfrom these causes and when forced by the slide into the closed receptacle, the live insects will be readily exterminated by only a slight pressure of the slide thereagainst, not suiiicient to mash the said flies.

In the remaining figures of the drawings, I have illustrated a further modification. In this instance, a substantially rectangular frame 30 is employed. The frame may have one of its faces covered by a reticulated plate 31 and either the plate 31` or one of the sides of the frame is provided with an'outlet door which, of course, is normally latched. The opposite face of the frame 1 has arranged thereon closely related transversely? arranged elastic bars 32. The device is provided with a suitable operating handle (not shown).

Over the main frame 31V there is arranged an auxiliary frame 34C which is preferablyv constructed of wire and which has its sides formed with spaced depending fingers 35, each of said yfingers being secured tolthe alternating- 'elastic bars 32 on the main frame 30. By this' arrangement, it will be noted that the auxiliary'frame is slightly projected beyond the' main frame, and when the same is brought against a'surface on which a fly to becaught' has alighted, the

contact of the auxiliary frame with such surface will move the same inwardly in the main frame, the fingers 35 which engage v certain of the elastic bars 32, depressing the latter and spreadingthe same so that'a -coniparatively wide opening is provided between these bars for the entrance of the flies. The auxiliary frame has a vfacing of compressible material so that the saine'will not inflict injury vto the surface` against which it is brought to contact. ln all instances the elastic 'stripsare arranged comparatively close together, "that is-'they distance therebetween is not suicient'to permit of the passage cfav fly therethrough. When the device is broughtagainst'an' article lon, which a fly to be trapped rests, the insect in his effort to escape will causethe elastic strips to quickly" separate, "suiciently to permit' of the'passage of the insectto the interior of the trap. Thetendency of the return of the elastic strips' to initial position will give an" impetus' to the y upon his entrance to the trap."

In each instance, :the 'frames may 'have their rclosed fa'c'es covered by reticulate'd,'1"or transparent materials, orif desired the elastic bars may be arranged upon both faces of the frames, and other slight modifications, which fall within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to.

Having described the claim v 1. In a fly catcher, a frame having its sides made up of elastic strips arranged in parallel relation a distance apart less' than suficient to provide the entrance of a fly therebetween, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fly catcher, a frame having its faces provided with elastic strips arranged in parallel relation spaced apart a distance not sufficient to permit of the passage of a fly therebetween, and a handle for the frame, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a fly catcher, a frame comprising a trap having inturned edges and having laterally extending parallel elastic strips on the open faces thereof, said strips being spaced a distance apart not sufficient to permit of the passage of a fly therebetween, a compressible facing for the frame, and a handle for the frame all as and for the purpose set forth.

invention, I

1. A fiy catcher comprising a trap in the nature of a frame which has its edges inturned, its faces closed by parallel closelj; associated elastic bars, a handle for the frame, and a slide in the frame movable from one to the other end thereof. i

5. In a fly catcher, a cage or trap comprising an open frame having its faces closed by parallel closely related elastic bars, areceptacle having a normally closed door, in the cage or trap, a slide in the cage or trap movable into the receptacle, and a handle for the cage or trap.

6. A fly catcher comprising a cage 'having an open face provided with parallel elastic members closely related to prevent the passage of a fly therebetween and designed, when arranged over a fly to be partedv by the struggle of the insect to escape and to impede the fly in his entrance to the trap when the bars return to initial position after being parted by the insect.

In testimony whereof I aix my signa.- ture.

LYLE CEAS. MODERMOTT. 

